rounded by a veritable cordon of Habsburg estates, and that nothing but a determined effort on their part could save them from becoming completely owned by that ambitious family.
Rudolf of Habsburg died on the 15th of July, 1291, and seventeen days after, on the 1st of August, the three Forest States concluded a perpetual league and signed what may be styled the first federal constitution of the Swiss Confederation.
The promptness with which this great act was consummated seems to suggest that the text of the perpetual pact had been drawn up previously and held in abeyance to be ratified after the King’s death.
The Latin original parchment is preserved in the archives of Schwiz. In the following translation the words “Invocation’’ and ‘‘Preamble,’’ and the numbers are inserted for the sake of clearness.
“(Invocation.) In the name of God—Amen. (Preamble.) Honor and the public weal are promoted when leagues are concluded for the proper establishment of quiet and peace. I. Therefore, know all men, that the people of the valley of Uri, the democracy of the valley of Schwiz, and the community of the mountaineers of the Lower Valley (homines vallis Vranie, Universitasque vallis de Switz ac communitas hominum intramontanorum vallis infertoris), seeing the malice of the age, in order that they may better defend themselves and their own, and better preserve them in proper condition, have promised in good faith to assist each other with aid, with every counsel and every favor, with person and goods, within the valleys and without, with might and main, against one and all, who may inflict upon any one of them any violence, molestation or injury, or may plot any evil against their persons or goods. 2. And in every case each community has promised to succour the other when necessary, at its own expense, as far as needed in order to withstand the attacks of evil-doers, and to avenge injuries; to this end they have sworn a bodily oath to keep this without guile, and to renew by these presents the
